# What is this typeface? (From CBS' "Read More About It," circa the 1980s)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 6, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791 "2016-11-06T04:17:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/1 "2016-11-06T04:17:45Z")
I’ve got a nostalgic typography question, and the prescription is SDMB.
Y’see, I’m trying to identify the font/typeface used in [CBS’ “Read More About It” PSAs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuryZAhXEIM&t=0m30s), circa the 1980s.
It is not, by all appearances, CBS’ “Didot” typeface. However, my usual fallback, [the whatthefont automatic font identification app](https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/), is of no use to me, as the best images I can manage are screencaps of compressed Youtube videos taken from 30 year old VHS recordings, and weren’t “clean” enough for the software to process. And sharpening and enhancing the contrast of the images in my paint program didn’t help.
It seems familiar, but I’ve tentatively ruled out any fonts in my own collection. Also Korinna, a number of National Geographic typefaces, and the one used for Diet Cherry Coke in the 80s. But I’d rather not spend any more time driving myself crazy hunting for the answer if someone better in the know might already have the answer at hand.
So…can anyone help?
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/2 "2016-11-06T04:24:14Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#):
>
> I’ve got a nostalgic typography question, and the prescription is SDMB.
>
> Y’see, I’m trying to identify the font/typeface used in [CBS’ “Read More About It” PSAs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuryZAhXEIM&t=0m30s), circa the 1980s.
>
> It is not, by all appearances, CBS’ “Didot” typeface. However, my usual fallback, [the whatthefont automatic font identification app](https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/), is of no use to me, as the best images I can manage are screencaps of compressed Youtube videos taken from 30 year old VHS recordings, and weren’t “clean” enough for the software to process. And sharpening and enhancing the contrast of the images in my paint program didn’t help.
I’d load it into a vector editor like \*Coreldraw \*or \*Illustrator \*(if I absolutely am forced to - bleagh!) and make a clean version of a few of the letters.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/3 "2016-11-06T05:08:09Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s Baker Signet. Black for the top line; medium or plain for the lower line.
Could have been Letraset (I might still have some here in this drawer), or could have been ordered “extra tight” from a Manhattan type shop.
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/4 "2016-11-06T05:32:01Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure it’s Baker Signet. Black for the top line; medium or plain for the lower line.
>
> Could have been Letraset (I might still have some here in this drawer), or could have been ordered “extra tight” from a Manhattan type shop.
That era, it was probably generated by a Chyron system.
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### Author:  [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/5 "2016-11-06T16:58:20Z")
[https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/](https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/)
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### Author:  [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/6 "2016-11-06T17:07:41Z")
I’ve run into some message boards/blogs devoted to typeface geekery. Maybe the good folks at one of those could help. Please do report back.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/7 "2016-11-06T17:19:38Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure it’s Baker Signet.
Concur. Good eye.
I can’t find any set with varying weights, though. Just “regular.” I suspect whatever titling tool was used had weight controls.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/8 "2016-11-06T18:05:17Z")
The smaller font is definitely [Adobe\* Baker Signet](http://www.identifont.com/samples/adobe/BakerSignet.gif). Especially note the lowercase characters with descenders.
I don’t think there was an electronic method of bolding a font that long ago. Could have been done on a Typositor.
ETA: \*It wouldn’t have been “Adobe” back then.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/9 "2016-11-06T18:26:16Z")
> [@panache45](#):
>
> I don’t think there was an electronic method of bolding a font that long ago. Could have been done on a Typositor.
Video titlers were just a hair more sophisticated than the lower end of type composition in that era. I used one that would do a range of type modifications from a base font ca. 1985.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/10 "2016-11-07T04:15:51Z")
You wouldn’t have had Baker Signet on a Chyron—and certainly not in several weights, plus a dotless i as an alt character, set so tightly that some characters touch.
No, this would have been a “title card,” assembled by hand from Letraset or phototype, that was shot by a camera and then superimposed in the switcher.
As for several different weights, my 1982 RyderType specimen book shows five weights. I’m sure the equivalent shop in New York City had the same number or more.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-typeface-from-cbs-read-more-about-it-circa-the-1980s/770791/11 "2016-11-07T05:06:10Z")
Kinda famous while not knowing it, The artist that created the simple **Coke** logo that appears on many cans did base that logo on the Baker Signet font.
I did notice that font and type sites report that Baker Signet was used (implying that it was used as it is was), but when one looks at the “e” in modern cans it is clear that the font was slighttly changed.
It is now mostly seen on the diet version cans and plastic bottles while the company still uses the old cursive classic font, the old “Coca-Cola” logo in regular bottles and cans.
> **[Coke](https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Coke)**
>
> This logo first appeared on Coca-Cola cans in 1966. This logo was first used on the Diet Coke and Cherry Coke logos in 1982. This logo was introduced on April 23, 1985 with the introduction of 'New Coke' to the United States. On July 10, 1985, the...